A Hero's Love
by E.B. Keane-Farrell
Summary: Annabella is a ninth grade LoZ otaku. She awakes during a thunderstorm after a dream of her playing an unfamiliar song on the Ocarina of Time. After repeating that song, she finds herself facing an extraordinary sight...COMPLETED.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

Annabella sat at her desk, tapping a pencil gently against her Algebra 1 worksheet. It was Friday night, yet she had nowhere to go, nothing to do – except _homework_.

Annabella smoothed back her yellow blonde hair, tucking locks away from her ocean blue eyes. She reread the problem:

_A lamp costs $12.99. It has a 35 discount and a 15 tax. If you were to buy it, how much would it cost?_

Annabella did not _care_ how much the lamp cost. If she was ever going to buy a lamp that cost almost thirteen bucks, she would just slap down a twenty and take the change. However, her math book _did _care, so she was to figure out how much this stupid lamp cost.

Annabella scrambled for her calculator and flipped to a page in her math book, rereading the directions for how to do this sort of stuff. _Multiply the price by the percent..._Oh, whatever, it did not really matter.

After punching a couple numbers into her calculator, she came up with the results, which she jotted down onto her paper: _$7.17_

She folded up the math sheets and stuck them in her Algebra 1 textbook, rubbing her temples as a headache blossomed. She rose from her desk chair and pushed her way about her cramped bedroom until she approached a small TV set up in front of her bed. The fourteen-year-old girl pressed a button on the television and let her hand drape down to a purple cube, where she expertly found the POWER button and clicked it. She drew a controller up towards her bedspread and got comfortable, swinging her feet gently back and forth in the air.

Gentle music played, and a landscape became distinct on the screen. Hooves softly pounded the grass, and a young lad riding a rust colored mare became apparent. The music reached a high pitch and the camera swung around so that you could briefly see the lad's green eyes beneath his blonde hair. His eyes matched his outfit.

Annabella punched the Start button with her thumb and a melodious tune tinkled to signify that the action was comprehended by the game system. She pressed the "A" button and another tune sounded to signify that she had pressed this file and it was loading.

Annabella had been many things during her life – a nerd, a prep, a no-style chick, a jock, a girl that many guys dreamed of – but the one thing that remained the same for her entire life was that she was a _Legend of Zelda _fanatic.

Now, I say _fanatic_, and I MEAN _fanatic. _Annabella bought every game system that a _Zelda _game could be played on and she didn't stop playing the game until she beat it. She had written down an order in which the games went in, chronologically; she wrote fanfics; she Googled names to see origins of names for species; she wrote many walk-throughs for One might back away from her when they saw the piles of papers scattered throughout the room, each labeled as something different, but Annabella was proud of it. It made her different, and she liked it.

The project that Annabella was currently working on was figuring out how to translate ocarina songs in normal ocarina notes, and then into normal notes, for the piano or guitar or drums.

Annabella played her game deep into the night. She felt frustrated at herself for being unable to receive any love back from Link, or Zelda, or anyone else. She adored Hyrule and its inhabitants, she felt a swelling, triumphant pride whenever she helped Link clear a dungeon – but she could not been given those feelings back in return. She knew it was just a game, but she loved it.

A clock in Annabella's house gave one chime. She waited for more, but none came. Just a single chime. _One o'clock am_. Annabella had been playing for hours.

The TV screen slid in and out of focus as Annabella grew more and more exhausted. Link took several blows that rocked the controller, but Annabella did not notice. Link stood still, sword at his side, the L-target being released. The vicious enemy ripped at him, claws and teeth, but Link did not do anything except give moans of pain and stand there.

Annabella had fallen asleep. As the clock chimed one-thirty am, a screen came up announcing that Annabella had died and asking her if she wanted to save and continue.

However, Annabella was lost in her sleep, dreaming of Link. Rain lightly fell and thunder rumbled, but the blonde beauty slept on.

In Annabella's dream, she held the Ocarina of Time in her sweaty palm, and Link was trapped, bound by thick ropes. Link was shouting something that Annabella could not hear. However…a song that Annabella did not recognized played through her head, and she gently put the ocarina to her lips and played. The music was unfamiliar, but it stuck with Annabella.

_Craackk! _Annabella awoke with a start, the dream still vivid in her mind, especially the song. Annabella hummed it under her breath and gazed at the TV. She ignored the message and picked up her own replica of the Ocarina of Time, thinking of the music. She grabbed a sheet of paper and a stubby pencil, scrawling ocarina notes all over, until she figured it was about right. She picked up her Ocarina of Time replica, touched it to her lips, and took in a breath. She never felt silly playing her beloved ocarina. In fact, she felt as though peace reigned when she played it, in her white spaghetti-strap t-shirt and black pajama pants. She gazed at the notes as her fingers flew, covering and uncovering holes as the music burst forth. The song was beautiful, yet it was nothing that she had heard before in the game.

A strange sensation happened to Annabella as she played this song. Mist clouded her vision, but she didn't stop playing the song. She continued, letting the music wrap around her, the mist getting thicker and thicker, until she could see nothing. She closed her eyes and felt herself leave her desk chair, rising up in the air, but this did not bother her. She played the song over and over until she felt her bare feet graze dewy grass. She let out the last note and opened her beautiful eyes to an astonishing sight.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Who are you?" asked the blonde boy of the blonde girl. "Wait…_Zelda_?"

Annabella gaped at Link for several long moments before she regained her composure. "Zelda? No, definitely not Zelda…I'm…Annabella…oh my God!" Annabella shook her head. "Please…tell me…are we…am I…"

Link's expression turned kindly. He sat regally on Epona, who was also eyeing Annabella curiously. "Listen, maiden – you look confused. How about you climb on Epona and we ride to Lon Lon Ranch? Malon can take care of you and give you some new clothes. Then you can have a cup of tea with Malon and I can check in you?" The last phrase was a question, not a statement; he wanted to check in on Annabella, but was not sure if it would be okay with Annabella.

"Wh-what…um…okay," whispered Annabella. Link climbed down from Epona and caught a glance of the cobalt item in Annabella's hand.

"The Ocarina of Time!" yelped Link in surprise, glancing sharply from the ocarina to Annabella's face.

"I have…an Ocarina of Time…" replied Annabella. The shock of all of this was making her knees shake badly.

"Umm…okay, just tell me about that later. We should get you to Lon Lon Ranch. You look totally exhausted." Link gave Annabella a very suspicious and strange look before helping put the girl on Epona. He climbed on afterwards and gave the mare a gentle kick, and set off towards Lon Lon Ranch.

OoO

"…yeah. She was just in these clothes, and I think she said her name was Annabella…she looks an awful lot like Princess Zelda, doesn't she?"

"There _is _a creepy likeness, I shall admit to that…Annabella, eh? That her name? I never heard it before. It's a weird name."

"That it is."

"Where could she be from, Link? Oh my gosh – what if she's a Gerudo!"

"Goddesses, no! Gerudos have red hair, tanned skin, and a piercing look to their eyes. Plus, Gerudos might dress as skimpily as Annabella did, but they carry weapons, have peircings in their ears, and do not faint. And…I don't know. There's something…_nice _about her, I guess."

Annabella swayed between the realm of sleep and the realm of awareness. She heard those disembodied voices, but did not understand them. It was not processing through her mind. The complete and total shock of finding herself in Hyrule had weakened her. Or _was _it Hyrule? Maybe it was another dream? If it was a dream, she wouldn't think it was a dream…would she? Once she realized it was a dream, she would have to wake up…right?

Annabella blinked her eyes cautiously, and then realized that she was in Malon's bedroom. Someone – hopefully Malon – had stripped her of her pyjamas and dressed her in a flowery nightgown.

Annabella slipped out of the bed and found her feet had been clad in warm slippers. Annabella made her way towards the door silently and opened it. She walked down the stairs to see Link and Malon sitting at the table, discussing Annabella in low, terse voices. They immediately hushed when they spied her, giving wide, fake smiles.

"Are you alright, maiden?" asked Link. "It's…Annabella, correct?"

"Yes," Annabella whispered in reply, self-consciously pushing a lock of golden hair behind her ear.

"Are you frightened?" asked Link, giving a wry grin. "You shouldn't be frightened of us, maiden; we're just here to help."

Annabella nodded. "Yes…I know that. You wouldn't hurt anyone, would you, except for Ganondorf, but he's just plain mean – "

"Ganondorf?" repeated Malon with a surprised look. "Um…who is that?" She shot Link an inquiring look. "I've heard that name before, though…oh dear! The Gerudo King!" yelped Malon, fright flashing through her pretty eyes.

Link stood up, fear and suspicious hardening his green eyes. "What are you talking about, Annabella? I never hurt anyone – not even Ganondorf! I've never fought him!" Link sounded angry at Annabella's slip of tongue.

Annabella realized the mistake she had made. Link and Zelda were the only ones who preserved the memories of Link's roller coaster of a futuristic past – well, every teen on Earth who had beat _Ocarina of Time _also had that memory, but Link did not know that he was the main character of a popular video games series.

Annabella let words stumble out of her mouth as she tried to think of an excuse, "Dream. I must've dreamed it. Hallucination? I see people in dreams and things – yeah, um…yeah."

"Poor dear," murmured Malon. "You must be exhausted. Where are you from?"

"Dorchester," replied Annabella.

"Oh, I've never heard of it," muttered Malon. "Is it far away?"

"Erm, yes, I…yeah. It is." It was all she could think of saying. Her humble house in Boston, Massachusetts, was pretty far away.

"How…how did you get here?" asked Link, but truly what he was asking was "how do you know about my past?" His eyes were also questioning about how Annabella came to possess the Ocarina of Time.

Annabella shook her head slowly. "I…I'm not sure. It's all…very confusing. Um…sir?" Annabella did not know how else to address Link. "Would you help me back upstairs? I…I need more rest. Then maybe I can, um, answer your questions more clearly."

"I can help you into your bed, Annabella!" chirped Malon, half-rising from her seat.

"No!" Link's voice held one note of harshness, but then he swiftly softened it, along with his eyes. "No, Malon. Please, get some milk, and it might help our guest regain her health."

Annabella smiled as Malon agreed to get some milk from the cows and exited the house. Annabella made her way back up to Malon's bedroom, followed closely by Link.

"I do not doubt you when you call yourself Annabella. But Dorchester is not a place I am familiar with," Link informed Annabella as she settled down comfortably in Malon's bed. "And how do you know…about Ganondorf?"

"I know every detail, Link," replied the girl in a whisper. "Your dreams. Trying to defeat the curse in the Great Deku Tree, but woefully failing. How you snuck through the garden to get to Zelda, and she showed you Ganondorf, when you two were younger. 'nd then you helped the Gorons, and the Zoras. Zelda gave you the Ocarina of Time, and you pulled out the Master Sword, and slept for seven years, and – "

Link held up a hand. "Enough, maiden! Enough. _How _do you know this? And _how _did you come across the Ocarina of Time?"

Annabella struggled for words. How could she explain to Link? And why should she? She was probably hallucinating, dreaming, whatever…

But it did not matter. She had to tell Link the truth, no matter how much trouble it got her into. She felt as if she owed it to the Hero of Time.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"I come from a different world," began Annabella, "and it's called Earth."

Link gave Annabella strange look. "Earth…? As in…dirt? Soil?"

Annabella gave out a weak laugh. She had never really thought of it like that. "Yeah, I s'pose like dirt. Anyways, this different world is billion of years old. Older than how old the Great Deku Tree was, or older than Hyrule – I don't know if it's older than your goddesses."

Link's eyes widened as Annabella took a breath. She paused to let Link speak if he wished, but he motioned with his hands for her to continue talking.

"It is, well, more advanced than your world, economically, technologically…in a bunch of ways," Annabella told him, trying to put it softly so Link did not feel insulted. "Um, there's this thing called a television. You can see pictures on it. Like…other people's ideas. You know things like…like drawings that have people talking?" Link nodded, and Annabella continued, glad that Link understood her explanation. "Well, these things, televisions – they show those. But more than one person can see them at once. And it's in color. On this giant box. But then there's another invention where you can play games on the invention, and you see the games on the television." Annabella paused, looking at Link's wide, battle-hardened eyes, which were so earnest and so innocent despite what he had been through. "Oh, I don't know how to say it – to my…'people', yeah – to my people you are the fantasy of a man. Many people get to see this thing and play it. Almost every Earthling knows about you, Link." Annabella tore her gaze from Link's perplexed and saddened eyes. She felt sort of guilty, but could not figure out why. "And…using a controller-like thing, we…we…"

"Just be blunt," murmured Link. He cocked his head to one side and whispered, "Hurry! I can hear Malon."

"We help you through the dungeons, Link, and – it is as though you do not have free will," ended Annabella lamely.

"Hello, Link! Um, Annabella," added Malon, holding up a bottle filled up with milk. "Here's the milk – my goodness, Link! You look as pale as ghost!" She shot a slightly fearful look at Annabella. "Are you alright, Link?"

Link gave a very slow, unconvincing nod. Malon raised her slender eyebrows, and Link gave a firmer nod, accompanied by a smile.

"Yes, Malon, I feel fine. Just a bit drowsy, you see? Epona and I have been out for two days straight – is it really a crime to nod off?" joked Link, flashing Malon a wry smile. "Now, Annabella – do you need more sleep?"

Annabella tilted her head to her side, considering the bottle of milk with her curious blue eyes. She wasn't sure what she would do if she had to continue to talk to Link. She found it uncomfortable to tell him that he was fake, an object of amusement.

"Um…yes. I'll drink the milk and…go back to sleep. Thanks," she told Malon as the pretty redhead handed her the bottle of milk. Annabella carefully uncorked it, hoping not to spill any, as Malon and Link exited the room.

"Um, I hope you can get back home soon," Link called back softly.

As Annabella finished off the milk and snuggled down underneath Malon's duvet, she wondered if those final words of Link were meant to be of comfort or of Link gently telling her that she was unwelcome.

As she drifted off to sleep once again, she knew that they were of comfort. She highly doubted that Link would do something like that.

* * *

Dear readers and reviewers: THANK YOU! 

I didn't think that this story would be that popular. It's got a basic plot (so far). I just wanted to make a cute little story and here it is.

I got a review that said that this could have the possibilities of becoming a Mary-Sue. (ps. I'm not angry! I appreciate it :D) It's supposed to seem like the basic plot line: otaku gets sucked into game, falls in love with Link, Link falls in love with them, they live happily ever after THE END. But I've got a little twist in the works, and honestly - writing a Mary-Sue kinda bores me.

The next chapter might not come out for a while. The only reason I got chapter two and chapter three out so closely together is because originally it was going to be one chapter, but it was six pages long so I cut it up :

So I'm going to thank my reviewers right now. And, as my friend would say, "here we gizzo"!

**WereKid: **yo Sean! I'm glad you're back here too and reviewing my stuff! ps. Whatever happened to the HP fanfic you were writing? You got me all worked up to read it :'( lol  
**Necci: **I'm glad you liked it! And, yep, there's gonna be more than a second part, lol :)  
**Lao Who Mai: **Thanks for your comments about possibly Mary-Sue-ness. I wrote about it a bit up there (), and I appreciated you being critical. Honestly, I'm not mad. I'm glad you took the time to patiently explain your thoughts, instead of becoming a flamer.  
**wishfulthinker22:** That was an awesome compliment. I'm wicked glad that you thought my description was like you were watching in a corner. :D :D :D It's hard for me to be that good at description, but I try my best.  
**Zequistis Free Spirit: **Thanks! As requested, I have updated my story (twice)! I hope you keep on reading.

I hope ALL of you are patient and keep on reading. I'll have trouble balancing my writing and schoolwork. I've been actually falling behind on my original fiction (I'm working on this, something for fictionpress, something with my friend, and another story), so I need to balance that. Hmmm...the only thing I can think of that I could cut out would be sleep.

Okay sounds like a plan!


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

When Annabella awoke, she was still in Malon's bed. The bottle of milk was empty. She sat up and gently rubbed her temples, wondering how she had gotten to Hyrule.

'Okay, Annabella, let's think. Backtrack. What'd you do before you came here?' she thought to herself, resting her elbows on her knees and the palms of her pale hands against her eyes. 'One: play _Ocarina of Time_. Well, nothing unusual happened, except that I fell asleep. Yeah. Then, I had that dream. Link was tied up and I played a song on the Ocarina of Time. Then I woke up and took, like, half an hour figuring out that song in ocarina notes. What then? Right. I played the song.' Annabella issued a small gasp and lifted her face from the palm of her hand. "The song! The song!"

Annabella bit her lower lip gently, trying to remember how it went. She let herself fall backwards into the bed, rethinking the notes over and over again until she believed she had it correct.

"Oh! Hello Annabella! I was bringing you more milk on Link's orders. Are you feeling better?"

Annabella glanced towards the door to see Malon standing in the doorway, holding another bottle of milk.

"Thank you, Malon," Annabella muttered as the redhead strode over to the bed she was lending to a complete stranger. Annabella accepted the bottle and glanced into Malon's lovely sapphire blue eyes, full of both innocence and…Annabella was slightly amused to detect some sort of fear in Malon's eyes.

"How did you get to Hyrule?" asked Malon, sitting on the very edge of her bed. She seemed curious about Annabella, but more to know how to protect herself.

Annabella opened her mouth, and then hesitated. Malon knew nothing of Link's adventures nor would she ever. It would be very hard to explain her adventure to Malon, and she was pretty sure that from the way Link had acted before that Annabella was to keep Link's first childhood a secret.

"I…I used magic," Annabella began, feeling guilty for this fabrication.

"Magic?" Malon's eyes widened. She looked interested, but still afraid.

"Oh, but don't worry! It's good magic. We use it to help people. You see, I found a, uh, a spell that I didn't know what it did, so I tried performing it." Annabella's guilt intensified with every word. Even though she was telling a slight truth, she hated to dupe such an innocent girl, one who had been her idol for a while. "And I closed my eyes and I appeared in Hyrule."

Malon looked very intrigued by this story, and the fear that had been etched on her face had now disappeared. "A magical spell to get you directly to Hyrule? That's amazing! How…how does it go?" asked Malon shyly.

"Uh, um, well, I, um, I don't really wanna perform it right now, 'cos it might put me someplace else, and that wouldn't be good, would it?" Annabella hated the words that came forth from her lips, hating these lies, but what she had just spoken was laced with more truth than the other falsehoods.

Malon nodded. "Oh, yes. That's a good point."

Annabella smiled. "Yeah. You get it, right? I mean, it's not good to try this spell till I know exactly how it works and stuff, 'cos I might end up killin' myself or something!"

Annabella was not completely lying. She did not want to perform her song on the ocarina until she knew what it did. She would _sing _the song for Link, to see if he knew what it meant, and then maybe they would visit Zelda.

Malon gave a small laugh. "You talk funny, Annabella."

Annabella raised her eyebrows. "_Funny_? I talk…_funny_?"

"Well, no, not funny, just…different. It is interesting. I like it."

Annabella understood what Malon meant. Annabella's speech was different than Malon's, because Annabella spoke using slang and joining her words together, while Malon's speech would be considered formal and snobby where Annabella resided.

"Thank you, Malon."

"So you're awake, Annabella?"

The two girls looked up at Link, who was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah. Hi Link," greeted Annabella. Malon stood up. Her face had hardened.

"Hello Link. Well, goodbye, Annabella. I am going to leave you two alone."

Malon marched in an angry manner from the room. Link looked quite confused, but Annabella knew what Link or Malon might never:

In many fanfics Annabella had read and written, Malon was passionately in love with Link, and some other girl comes from Earth and steals away Link. Malon was afraid that Annabella would steal Link away from her, and her love would always be just a child's crush.

* * *

Alright! I got this chapter out! Well, feel loved, because I spent my Study at the school library writing this so that you can read it! lol I'm just kiddin' (I did use my study, but I'm not mad). I'll write the next chapter quickly today and it might be out tomorrow/Friday or POSSIBLY today. I had a small problem with writer's block but now I got it! I'm temporairily going to stop writing my original fiction on fictionpress so that I can get this story done. I'm so glad people like it! Well, I gotta go; the bell's gonna ring in one minute! 


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"So…tell me, Annabella, how did you arrive in Hyrule?"

Annabella wasn't going to lie to Link as she had to Malon, so this time, she told the truth: beginning with playing _Ocarina of Time_.

"I was playing the game that informs people from Earth about you – it's called _Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_." Annabella studied Link's face for a quick second, making sure that Link was not offended by Annabella and millions of strangers knowing his not-so-secret past, but his face remained stolid. Annabella continued. "It was late at night, and I was tired – I fell asleep. I…I had a dream of you, Link. You were tied up and shouting stuff at me, but I couldn't understand it. All I know is that I played a song on the Ocarina of Time and then I woke up! I remembered the song and I play it on…well, I have a replica of the Ocarina of Time, so's I played the song on that, and I wound up in Hyrule Field."

"What song was it?" asked Link swiftly.

"I don't know. It was…a new song. Here, I'll hum it." Gently, Annabella hummed the song loud enough for Link to hear. Link listened closely to her humming, and when Annabella was done, he gave her a hopeless look.

"I don't know that song either. But do you know who _might _know it?" Link's lips unfurled in a grin.

"Princess Zelda?" guessed Annabella.

"I knew you would know about her." Link eyed Annabella's borrowed clothing. "We may go visit her, but you must wear proper clothing. I shudder to think how the women and men are treating if you wear clothes as skimpy as the ones you had beforehand!"

Annabella laughed. "Where _I _come from, girls who dress like that are considered popular and everyone wants to be like them. I only dress in those clothes for pyjamas, though."

Link shook his head. "Your planet…are you sure that it's not a secret insane asylum?"

Annabella laughed. "I'm pretty sure."

OoO

"Link! Hello there! You have snuck through the garden, just like the first – " Princess Zelda stopped in her tracks. Her arms had been open wide in a friendly gesture to Link, and then she noticed Annabella.

Annabella stared at Princess Zelda with her eyes opened wide, trembling.

"Link…" whispered Princess Zelda, her jaw quivering. "Um…might I ask who this is?"

"My name is Annabella," replied the girl.

"You…you…you…" Princess Zelda could not find the right words for what she wanted to say. She seemed paralyzed.

"I knew it! You two look _exactly _alike!" exclaimed Link, gazing from Princess Zelda to Annabella, who was dressed in some borrowed clothes of Malon's.

"It…cannot be possible." Princess Zelda's speech was jerky. She did not believe what she was seeing.

"Zelda, I know that this is a shock, but we have more important matters at hand. Annabella has a very strange story to tell, and we were wondering if you could help us figure something out," Link redirected the topic of the conversation quickly.

Princess Zelda nodded slowly, glancing from Annabella to Link. "Alright, then. What is your story, Annabella?"

Annabella relayed her story to Princess Zelda quickly, almost word-for-word as the story she had told Link. Princess Zelda seemed intrigued, just as Link had, and, most disappointingly, her reaction to the new song was almost identical to Link's.

"I'm sorry, Annabella, but I do not know of that song. I could ask my father…and we could possibly see if anyone in town knows what that song is, but I am not sure." Princess Zelda looked disappointed that she could not help in any other way.

"Thank you, Princess," Annabella cried, smiling warmly.

"Yes, thank you, Zelda," Link repeated in a low tone.

Zelda shot Link a smile as a rumble was heard overhead.

"Oh dear. Do you think it is going to rain?" asked Link. However, this question was answered before Princess Zelda or Annabella could even open their mouths.

The clouds seem to split open and pour out rain, hitting each of them with the force and speed of lightning.

"Zelda, get inside! We shall see you later! Thank you for your help!" called Link as Princess Zelda sprinted inside. Link and Annabella raised their arms to shield their eyes from the rain.

"Hurry, Annabella, we should run! Epona is right outside; maybe we can find shelter in Kakariko Village?"

"Sure!" shouted back Annabella as the two sprinted out of Princess Zelda's garden and towards Link's horse. Link helped Annabella clamber onto Epona and then he swung himself up, kicking her sides lightly and galloping towards Kakariko Village.

* * *

omg I am on a ROLL! Well, time to thank all of my adorable reviewers. 

**WereKid: **Well, get writing soon, buddy! lol Anyways, I'm not revealing why this is labeled as a Romance fic, but trust me: it's not MaLink or ZeLink or even AnnaLink. It's a different romance (ps for anyway who has read _Treasure Island _and seen it labeled as "romance", it's kinda like that type of romance!).  
**Zequistis Free Spirit: **I'm so glad you like it! You always want me to update, and that encourages me to update sooner and sooner :D  
**Stikibunn: **As said before, Annabella is meant to have a bit of Sue-ishness around her (I hope everyone's noticing it!), but she doesn't turn completely into a Mary-Sue. I gots good plans for her :D :D  
**Blu3 Flam3s: **Wow! You certainly are enthusiastic (lol). I'm updating as quick as possible. And don't worry about the, uh, evil veggies.

So that's it! I'm gonna start writing RIGHT...now! Well, as soon as I publish this :D


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Link and Annabella leapt from Epona and scrambled up the stairs. Annabella tripped on the hem of her skirt and stumbled, but was quickly caught by Link's swift reflexes. She felt a tingle rush through her body and her heart began to beat faster. It felt like forever that Link's gloved hands held onto her upper arm, but also the time passed too quickly, and soon Link was helping Annabella straighten herself and continue to race up the slippery steps to Kakariko Village.

Link led the way to an empty house. Link took off his gloves and put them on the table to dry, removing his boots also. Annabella took off her borrowed boots and placed them next to Link's. Malon's shoe size was too small for Annabella, but she did not mind because at least they protected her feet.

Link sat down in a chair, seeming perfectly comfortable where he was. Annabella glanced quickly around and asked, "Um, what happens if the owner of this house comes back?"

Link shot a questioning look at Annabella. "They won't."

"Why not?" insisted Annabella.

"This is Dampé's house," replied Link with an emotionless expression. "He has died already."

Annabella did not know what to say. Link's face was expressionless, but was Link sad? Sorry? Nothing at all? Dampé had helped Link a few times during his first childhood…

"That's…sad to hear," whispered Annabella, looking down at her bare toes.

The rain persisted for a long time. Link seemed to be wrapped up in his thoughts, but each minute stretched was longer than Link was tall…

But then Link was standing and leaving the house. Annabella did nothing to stop him, just watched him go. And, somehow, the Ocarina of Time appeared in her hand. She stood up and walked outside. It was still raining, but Annabella did not feel the rain. She handed the ocarina to Link, who took it from her hand and gazed at it. He rubbed the mouthpiece gently, and then looked up into the distant rain. Annabella's eyes could make out each shape of the gravestones.

A whisper floated around Annabella. She turned her head around slowly to see Link waving one arm above his head in almost slow motion. A man with ash colored hair was standing in the rain. His eyes were kindly, and his body was swathed in a cloak.

The whisper came once more, and Annabella approached the man, listening intently. He was speaking words of Princess Zelda and of herself, of Annabella.

_Come see me, Annabella…take the Hero of Time and the Princess of Hyrule…I am a friend._

And then he disappeared.

Annabella awoke from her dream with a start. Who had that man been?

Link was also asleep in his chair. Annabella gently woke him.

"H-huh? Oh, hello Annabella. Is anything wrong?" he asked, straightening up in the chair.

"Do you know a guy with gray hair and dressed in a cloak?" asked Annabella. "I…I had a weird dream."

Link rubbed his temples. "Well…there's a man in Hyrule Field. He built a cottage there. This is the first time I've heard of him; in…my…first childhood, he was never there. Well, he must have established the cottage at a time that I was, well, not…awake. I was only eleven when I first drew out the Master Sword. Then I slept for seven years! He must've established his home around when I was fourteen, and, well, disappeared before I was eighteen. He does have gray hair. I believe his name is Roan. That is all I know." Link gave Annabella a strange look. "It…is convenient that you have such odd dreams."

Annabella nodded. "I…I guess it is. In…in my dream, he…asked me to bring you and Zelda to his home. He says he's a friend."

"And you believe him?"

"Yes," replied Annabella, "in fact I do."

Link smiled. "Good enough for me."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

After the rain had lightened up a bit, Annabella and Link had gotten into their boots and walked outside, careful not to slip in the mud. Being a teenaged girl, Annabella was only used to short skirts, not long ones, so of course she tripped often on the skirt's hem, but she usually grabbed the wall or a fence to catch herself. Then, she realized that she could just lift the skirt from the ground, keeping her from tripping _and _making sure she did not soil Malon's clothes, which she was kind enough to lend to her.

Link and Annabella furtively and expertly snuck through the garden to see Princess Zelda yet again. Annabella followed Link closely, but was positive that if she had been Link and had not been seeing this from a bird's eye view, then she would have been caught before she took one step.

"Zelda! It is fortunate that you are out again," called Link when Princess Zelda appeared through the mist. The Princess embraced the Hero and gave a warm smile to Annabella. It seemed as though she was going to try to friendly approach with Annabella, instead of suspicious. Annabella was glad, because Princess Zelda had always been a favorite of hers: a beautiful female warrior. It was what Annabella hoped to be one day, if she could possibly ever stay in Hyrule without her parents claiming her dead or mentally insane.

"So, what have I done to receive such a lovely visit from you two again?" asked Princess Zelda.

"Well…Annabella seems to have taken on a trait of mine and yours, from, well, the _first time_. Visions. Dreams. How…convenient, I thought. A man appeared and told her to visit him with you and me. I believe that it is the old man Roan. What say you, Zelda? Shall we visit him? He lives out in Hyrule Field."

Princess Zelda cast her gaze towards the sky. "Indeed I shall, Link. Oh! How…convenient, to borrow your phrase." She smiled. "The rain has ceased. Shall we visit this…Roan?"

Link smiled back. "Yes, we shall. We should hurry before the rain starts up again, and then mayhaps we could hurry back before the rain gets too heavy."

Princess Zelda and Annabella both nodded. The Princess escorted Link and Annabella out of the garden. Many of the guards were confused to see Link and Annabella, whom they had not seen enter, but they did not question this, in case it would be found offensive to Princess Zelda.

A small drizzle appeared as the trio strode across Hyrule Field. Link had put Epona at Lon Lon Ranch to protect her from the rain and because she was tired. Annabella's head whipped about, intrigued by everything she saw. The light breeze that caressed her hair was real; the mud that squelched underneath her feet was no longer just a background object; the way Princess Zelda's clothing swished around her feet was no longer added for realistic affects. Her head still spun. _She was in Hyrule_. It was impossible, but the less she thought about it and the more she focused on finding out who Roan was, the more she could accept the fanatical idea.

The silhouette of a cottage became visible through the light rain. A chimney was puffing out smoke that was lost in the mist.

"This is the cottage of Roan," Link declared as the details of the thatched roof and the smoothed stones came into sharper focus. Link glanced at Princess Zelda and asked, "When did this cottage disappear?"

Princess Zelda opened her mouth, and then hesitated. "This is the first time ever that there have been records of such a man. It is perplexing. And…it is quite odd to build such a cottage by Kokiri Forest."

Link raised his slender eyebrows. "Indeed it is!" His gaze flickered towards Kokiri Forest, shining with such an overwhelming love that he was almost moved to tears. It was strange for Annabella to see Link gaze at something in such a manner; but, even as he gazed, Annabella knew what feelings he felt: such love that it was infuriated that he could not express it. He knew more things about Kokiri than any of the young inhabitants, yet they were the ones who could bask in its glory. That was how Annabella had felt about _Legend of Zelda_ and Link before she was plunged into this wild adventure.

Link raised a gloved fist and rapped loudly on the door. As they waited for the door to be opened, Annabella wondered if Princess Zelda had done Link a favor by sending him back to have another childhood.

* * *

I have a confession to make: **drizzle**. When I typed that word, I laughed SO HARD. I don't know why, but I think it's one of the funniest words in the world. I mean...**drizzle**! lol. 

Okay, I didn't update for a while because my friend from Vermont was visiting, but she left today and I'll be able to write Chapter Seven wicked fast (it's handwritten). So here I go!

**drizzle**! lololol


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The silver-haired man in the doorway regarded Link with cool eyes that matched his hair. He raised his bushy eyebrows as though to say, _Well…aren't you going to talk?_

"Ex—excuse me, but are you Roan?" asked Link.

"Yes I am. And you are Link, Hero of Time."

Even though the trio was surprised by Roan's knowledge, they did not ask how he knew this information. It was strange, but each one had a small feeling telling them that they were to have expected Roan to know this, and that it was not a huge deal that he knew such a fact.

"Come in, come in – Link, Princess," Roan's eyes shot at Annabella and seemed to run through her with a cold steel knife. Annabella felt a connection to this man, but could not place it, nor explain it. "Ah. You must be…the, ah…the foreigner."

Annabella nodded. It did not occur to her to question how Roan knew such things; she just accepted it as though it was natural.

"Step in." Roan's words were not an invitation, but an order. Annabella obeyed swiftly and noticed that Link and Princess Zelda were seated in two chairs. There was an empty chair placed next to the Princess, which Annabella slipped into.

"I know vaguely why you three have approached me," began Roan, "but you must give me the details. I know you are Link, Hero of Time, and you are Princess Zelda. I know of your adventures, Hero, and how the Princess sent you backwards in time to relive your childhood." Roan's eyes fell upon Annabella. "I don't know your name. What I know is not small, but not all that important: your past, where you are from, your overwhelming love for Hyrule, and how you were mysteriously teleported here."

"My name is Annabella," supplied the young girl.

"I know that you wonder how I know this. It is natural. No, I do not read thoughts – well, I suppose it _is _slightly like that. I know your memories. _Only _memories, not a story that a parent might have told you about when you were a child."

Link leaned forward in his chair. "If that is so, then why did you not know Annabella's name?"

Roan looked over Link coolly. "Has it ever occurred to you that when you are informed of your name, it is your parents telling you a story of your naming? I only know your name because one of the most prominent memories in your mind is one of you telling someone of your name. And, well, Princess – " he gave a kindly smile – "you are quite popular in Hyrule." Roan paused. "Annabella's most prominent thought was – " he paused, then continued on with: "a private one. Now, tell me, you came here because of your vision. And…I will tell you about a rumor started almost fifteen years ago."

Roan looked at Annabella, Princess Zelda, and then at Link. Rain loudly splashed against the windows, but Roan's soft speech seemed to overpower the rain:

"I heard this rumor always being discussed, but I believed that it was _just _that – a rumor. However, Annabella, your appearance here has changed my opinion drastically. The rumor went thus:

"The Queen of Hyrule had an affair with a man that was not pure Hylian, thus giving him flaws that would be distinct in a child. She gave birth to a young girl…with rounded ears, a trait of the other man. Infuriated, the King of Hyrule asked a great wizard to take this baby to another world and bring back an identical child with pointed ears. It took three months – during which the Queen remained in the castle, speaking to no one – but then the baby was found, and brought back. The wizard died when you three would have only been five. Princess Zelda…you were believed to have been that child brought back."

Tears pricked up in Princess Zelda's eyes. "I'm…from Earth? I've been living…living in a _lie_?"

Roan's silvery eyes regarded Princess Zelda with sympathy. "It would seem so, milady. I had never believed this rumor…but why else would you two look alike?"

Tears overwhelmed the pretty eyes. Princess Zelda ran from Roan's cottage into the evening rain, not caring about becoming drenched and washed in mud.

"Zelda!" shouted Link, but the Princess kept on running.

"So…I'm a…a Hylian? I'm the—the—the—the real…Pr-Princess Zelda?" whispered Annabella, unable to process this information, nor believe it.

"If the rumors are true," replied Roan. He turned his back to them, fumbling with a cloth on his table. "Oh, yes, Link – I believe that you own this."

Roan handed the Master Sword to Link as the two guests gasped. "But—but—but—but – " spluttered Annabella, "it seals away Ganondorf, right! Right?"

Roan leaned down and whispered in Annabella's ear so that Link could not hear. "He has already escaped. Truly, there is not way for Ganondorf to be permanently sealed up. Why else do you think that it has rained for three days now?" Roan straightened up, chuckling. "Please, Link, watch after Princess Zelda and Annabella. And…please be careful."

Link nodded as he strapped the weapon to his back. After saying "goodbye", he and Annabella exited the cottage.

They began to walk towards Lon Lon Ranch. Annabella was lost in the dizzying idea that _she could be Princess Zelda_. It was impossible. Purely impossible.

Link grabbed Annabella's forearm and pointed towards a dark shadow flitting across Hyrule Field.

"Hold this," muttered Link, handing over his equipment bag to Annabella. He unsheathed the Master Sword, glancing about nervously. "I…this body is unused to the Master Sword. Please, Annabella, hold my bag."

Link and Annabella slowly advanced, dashing rain from their eyes every few minutes. Annabella was still in a daze about the possibility of her, plain old Annabella, being _Princess Zelda_. It was impossible. Those rumors were impossible. But…why would Roan lie?

Annabella suddenly found herself tripping over the hem of her skirts yet again. As she gave a yell of fright, she did not find herself crashing into the mud, but instead traveling down a dark hole. Link whipped about and leapt forward to grasp her hand, but began to fall, too. Their yells echoed around the tunnel and they landed on a stone floor, which surprisingly did not crush their bones.

"So…you are the _real Zelda_?" came a malicious, rough voice. Annabella lifted up her head to see Link unconscious, the Master Sword knocked from his hand. She was forcefully reminded in the final battle scene of _The Wind Waker_.

A blue, hairy creature with a pink snout and long, sharp fangs protruding upwards from his lower lips was visible through the gloom. A red cape was draped about his shoulders, matching his harsh eyes. In simple words, he was a pig-demon.

Ganon the pig-demon.

"You leave Annabella alone," rasped Link, sitting up and reaching for the Master Sword.

"Shut up!" screamed Ganon, pointing a claw at Link, who was violently picked up and thrown again the chamber wall. He slumped down, unconscious, a trail of blood trickling from his golden hair.

"I must harness the power of the Triforce. Forever, I have longed to show the world _true _power. No weak Hylian would understand it under I showed them. Obviously, that 'Zelda' was not good enough to give me true power. _You will! _You have the Triforce of Wisdom, do you not!"

"Leave Annabella alone!" shouted Link, leaping to his feet angrily.

And then, Link was bound by ropes. Annabella gaped at the pig-demon before her, her heart beating quickly.

"You are doomed to die as soon as I capture the Triforce of Wisdom, maiden!" shrieked Ganon. He lifted a claw, and a writhing ball of purple flames leapt there.

"Annabella! Use the Master Sword! Protect yourself!" cried out Link. Annabella ducked low to the ground and retrieved the Master Sword.

She was not strong enough to wield the weapon properly. Her eblows ached before she had even had a proper grip on it. Trying to ignore the pain in her arms, she swung the weapon and wildly missed. Ganon tossed his fire at Annabella, who screamed and ducked, rolling out of the way.

Annabella stabbed wildly at Ganon once more. She missed, and a ball of fire crashed into her. The breath from whipped from her lungs as she soared through the air, smashing into the wall of the dark chamber. She held Link's equipment bag away from the ground, trying to protect the Ocarina of Time inside of it.

"Annabella! Play the ocarina song! The one that transports you to Hyrule Field! Get Zelda! She can help! She _will _help!" shouted Link.

'_My dream_!' thought Annabella, automatically taking out the Ocarina of Time. She put it to her lips and played the song that had first gotten her into this mess.

She was lifted up and whipped about in a magical whirlwind. When she opened her eyes, she was kneeling…

On her bed.

Annabella let out a scream of frustration, tears falling along with the rain.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Annabella's heartbeat increased dramatically as wild thoughts tumbled through her mind. She was back on Earth. Was that what the song did? Transport her between Hyrule and Earth? If so, then she could just stay on Earth, safe and sound. No! No she couldn't. Link was in _danger_. Although she tried heavily to deny it, she had fallen for Link.

Well, if the song teleported her between the two realms, then she had no time to lose. Annabella's fingers clawed in the equipment bag, scrabbling with the Ocarina of Time. She withdrew it from the bag and closed her lips about the mouthpiece, her fingers flying quick as she played the song, which she mentally named the Melody of Realms.

Annabella closed her eyes as the notes were created by her breath. To Annabella's immense relief, the familiar whirlwind caressed her skin and lifted her. Before she knew it, her boot-clad feet were gently grazing the wet grass. She snapped opened her eyes and stuffed the ocarina back into Link's equipment bag and, after hiking up her skirts, she ran to Hyrule Castle.

OoO

After miraculously escaping captures from the Royal Guards in Princess Zelda's garden, Annabella searched desperately for her look alike, but for no avail: Princess Zelda was not outside in the wretched weather.

Annabella checked in the windows, one after one, another and then one more. She was wondering if Link was still alive, or if Ganon was telling him about how the wind was always an aide to Hyrule but always an adversary to Gerudo Valley. Just as Annabella was going to give up hope of finding Princess Zelda, she peered into a dimly lit room and saw the figure of Princess Zelda, lying down on her bed, facing the opposite wall. She appeared to be asleep.

Annabella rapped on the window. No reply. Angrily, she hit it with her palm. Princess Zelda shot up in bed, her blonde hair whipping around her shoulder as she tried to find the source of the noise. She founded Annabella's rain washed appearance and wrenched open the window. Words immediately poured from Annabella's mouth:

"Link's in trouble! Ganon's back! Oh my God, you need to help!"

Princess Zelda was stunned, but immediately took action. She bounded across her room and took down a decorative bow from the wall, along with a quiver that was not very full of arrows.

"Mounting that in my room was a good idea, eh?" chucked Princess Zelda as she climbed out of the window. The two maidens hurried into Hyrule Field, where Princess Zelda ordered Annabella to lead the way to Link's whereabouts. Annabella nodded curtly and ran along the banks of the river until she located a menacing black hole in the ground a few yards away.

"Find something in Link's bag to use as a weapon, Annabella, and _jump in_!" Princess Zelda cried, leaping into the black mass.

Annabella dove her soaked hand into Link's bag, feeling about for weapons. Boomerang…Hookshot…Bombchus…she pulled out the Megaton Hammer. _That _might just work!

She closed up the equipment bag, holding the Megaton Hammer in one hand and hitching the bag over her shoulder with the other. She leapt into the hole and tumbled downwards. When she safely landed on the floor, she saw Princess Zelda expertly shooting off her arrows at Ganon while easily dodging his magical fireballs at the same time.

Annabella darted towards Link, who was still tied up. Annabella tried to keep her breathing steady as she saw blood flowing into Link's gentle green eyes. Her shaking fingers worked at the tough ropes, attempting to untie them quickly. After only two minutes that stretched on for two days, she freed Link from the bind.

Link sprang to his feet, scooped the Master Sword up from the stone floor, and charged at Ganon, a war cry slipping through his lips.

Two-on-one wasn't going to work for Ganon. He tried to fight both Link and Princess Zelda simultaneously, but it was worthless. It was evident, even to Annabella, that the foe was weakening.

The battle wore on. All Annabella could do was watch and worry as her comrades received harsh blows and dealt back the same force tenfold. With his remaining power, Ganon knocked Link and Princess Zelda against opposite walls of the cavern, and charged at Annabella, releasing a roar of fury.

Annabella was frozen, except for her vocal cords, which would not shut down – she was screaming and screaming, unable to stop…Annabella raised the Megaton Hammer, ready to swing wildly at the horrible beast racing towards her.

And then, there was an almighty yell, and Link leapt from the ground, scaling the demon's back, stabbing slits through his fluttering cape and he did so. He leapt to Ganon's head and drove the Master Sword through Ganon's skull.

He let out a wry chuckle. "Again…again I am defeated. The true Zelda…was weaker than the fake…yet I am defeated." His harsh laughter filled the chamber, echoing off of the walls. "I have been defeated by a trio of teenaged ruffians! Me, the King of Gerudos!" His laughter was cut short as the Master Sword took its course of action.

Ganon the pig-demon turned to stone.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Link let go of the Master Sword, his hands shaking. He made sure that Ganon was not going to suddenly return to life, and then he climbed down and dropped in front of Annabella and Princess Zelda, who had rushed forward to make sure he was alright.

"It's…over," whispered Link. "Just a quick battle and – he's gone. I…I never knew that he would freeze in stone like that. I suppose that he is gone forever."

"He's not," Annabella told him glumly as Link took the heavy Megaton Hammer from her. "He will be back."

Link gazed at Annabella, his eyes piercing hers. "Well, I'll be ready then. I'll be able to defeat him."

Annabella shook her head, feeling more defeated than Ganon was. "I'm—I'm sorry, but you…you will no longer be around." Annabella rubbed her temples. "Even though he will come back, he can always be defeated by the Master Sword. And…" Annabella lifted her head, a smile on her lips – "he always will be."

OoO

The trio stepped into a beam of light that sparkled and shimmered, which was known to teleport one out of a dungeon. When they were freed of the dank dungeon, glorious sunlight greeted them, along with a gently smiling Roan.

"I know what you three did. 'Twas very brave." Roan's smile flickered. Roan gazed at both Annabella and then Princess Zelda with a hard, serious look in his eyes. "Maidens…I have a very important truth to tell both of you. Yes, Link, you may listen in, but it might affect you greatly." Roan took a deep breath. "Lasses…would you like to hear…the _truth _about your heritage?"

Princess Zelda breathed a sharp intake. She mentally prepared herself _not _to burst into tears again when she learned that her life was fake, a lie, and that she would have to give up the Crown to Annabella, a clueless, weak Earthling who couldn't even strike Ganon…

Annabella also prepared herself. It was somewhat exciting, but it was also quite saddening. The parents she had grown to love were not her own. She would leave them forever to become a Princess. She was not sure she wanted to become royalty. It would be hard. Her look alike functioned much better; she had been raised to be polite, soft-spoken, yet determined to do what was best for her land and not for herself. Annabella was not sure if she, a typical teenaged girl, could compete. Plus, the loss of Annabella would devastate her parents, whom loved her very much and she in return. If she just ran away to Hyrule, life would not be the same for her family or her close friends. However…if she told her peers and her parents where she was going, she would be dubbed mentally ill. It would _not _good. She would have to make a decision.

Link also wondered how life would be different. Princess Zelda would have to go to Earth and adapt to the wonderful technology, and would have to change her personality to become fun-loving, boisterous, _Legend of Zelda _otaku Annabella. And Annabella…Hyrule would accept the idea of a new Zelda because of the rumors that had circulated when she was born, but would Earth accept Annabella? The idea would be allowed, but Annabella…she was different. She was not trained to be a Princess. She was trained to be herself and to grow up to love life and to raise a family, not an entire Kingdom.

"I…I'm ready to know the truth," Annabella told Roan shakily.

"S-so am I, R-Roan," chimed in Princess Zelda.

Roan's eyes locked with the Princess's, and then with Annabella's. "The truth is…what you know. The rumor was just that – _a rumor_. 'Twas a childish falsehood made by those who wished to stir up excitement." Roan looked at the ground, a pink tone appearing in his cheeks. "I am sorry for upsetting either of you."

Princess Zelda's eyes opened wide. "_What! _I'm…I truly _am _the Princess!"

Roan smiled. "Yes. And…" he turned to face Annabella, "you are truly Annabella Rose Evans, as your parents christened you."

"How do you know my full name?" asked Annabella as she beamed gleefully. She wasn't disappointed. She was…happy. Being a Princess just didn't fit the role for her.

"The human thought process is quite simple. When I asked your name, the thought that was first processed was your full name." Roan chuckled. "I suppose I do read minds. I myself am unsure of what the full extent of my ability is."

"Then why do they look like twins?" demanded Link. "If they are not meant to be replacements of each other, why do they look similar? I do not understand. Why was Annabella transported here?"

Roan sighed. "I do not know all of those answers, Hero of Time, but I can estimate. Annabella and the Princess's similarities? _Pure coincidence_. But, see – Annabella has thicker eyebrows. Princess Zelda, your eyes are a darker blue. And Annabella is a distinct three inches taller than the Princess." Roan smiled. "Annabella, I have a guess to why you were transported here: because in all of your heart, just purely and simply, you wanted to be here. You lead your two companions to me. I had acquired the Master Sword to give to Link to seal up Ganon for the time being." Roan was silent for a few moments, lost in thought, and then he continued. "I do believe that if Ganon was not sealed up, he would have destroyed the Temple of Time after he escaped from his dungeon down there." Roan's eyes shone with sadness. "And, dear Annabella, you know what will happen to this lovely land. Not defeated Ganon might have sped up that process." Roan shook his head slowly, eyes closed, chin raised. "And that would have been a tragedy, would it not?"

His voice seemed to grow faint. He repeated the words again, in a soft whisper. Annabella rubbed her eyes. They were playing tricks on her, surely. Roan…he could not…

"He's a ghost," murmured Link, noticing how Roan was disappearing from view, fading like the mists had.

"Indeed I am." Roan's eyes opened, but they were now transparent. Annabella felt immense depression seeing him go. He couldn't…Roan had helped them so much…and had Annabella or Link or Princess Zelda even thanked him? Would there even be a way to repay him?

"There _will _be, Annabella. In fact…you already have."

Annabella was surprised for a moment by Roan's words, but then remembered how he knew about thoughts.

"How did we repay you, Roan?" she asked eagerly, reaching out a hand to try to touch his. "How? Please tell me!"

"Fifteen years ago, I was killed in a gruesome battle. My wife ran away with our baby. She was injured."

Annabella knew this familiar story. It was one well-known throughout the _Legend of Zelda_ fanfic community.

"No way…_no way_…" whispered Annabella. She glanced at Link and then at Roan. "Oh…_no way_…"

"What is going on?" asked Princess Zelda in a demanding voice.

"Link…I'm sorry that we did not meet until now. But remember me, Link, and remember this: you are the son of Roan."

And then, the ghost faded away completely, leaving Link with tears shimmering in his emerald eyes.

* * *

**This is not the end**! Okay, the last chapter will be entitled "Epilogue", so you'll know it's the end, 'kay? Plus, I have to get Annabella back to Earth, right! And I have to explain which "love" is this hero's love... XD  



	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

A day past. Princess Zelda had returned to her castle and to her father. Link was allowed to stay at Lon Lon Ranch with Malon and Talon. Annabella was invited, too.

Annabella knew that it was going to be time for her to leave, but she was not ready. She had to get home to her parents, but how could she leave Link and Princess Zelda? Now that she had had some time to think, it was obvious to her that she was in love with Link; to leave him would be an act punishable by law. She…didn't want to go.

Soft, glistening white drops drifted from the gray clouds, dusting the grass. It was early in the morning; Annabella guessed between six am and eight am as she gazed out of the window. Her first sarcastic guess had been somewhere between midnight and eleven fifty-nine pm, but then she decided to be reasonable and shoot out something else. If she had ever worn a wristwatch, maybe she would have known the time; however, she did not don many accessories.

"You do know that you must return to your homeland soon, Annabella."

Annabella turned her neck so that she could get a better look at Link, who was talking to her.

"I know, Link, I know," she replied. "I just…I don't wanna leave. This place…it's more peaceful than my home. My, um, my country has been in a war with another country for two or three years. And the people there don't care for each other. It's just all 'me, me, me'. Hylians care for each other. You make sure that your friends are okay and if they need any help, then they can trust you." Annabella sighed and turned back to the window, watching the glistening snow swirl towards the ground. "My home's not like that."

Link joined Annabella in the window and turned her to face him. He put his hands on her shoulders on looked her directly in the eyes. "Hyrule gets into wars, too, Annabella. And we have the continuous threat of Ganon. And…well, you know about Majora, don't you?"

Annabella nodded. Her heart was beating rapidly as her blue orbs connected with Link's green ones. Her pale skin through Malon's borrowed clothing was tingling, and her breath was rapid. Even a boy whom she had crushed on for three months and gone out with for almost nine had never given her such a reaction. She kept on thinking, 'Oh my God…is it true love? Could he love me back? He barely knows me…what if – oh my God what if he kisses me!' The prospect was exciting and nervous-making at the same time.

Link touched Annabella's hair gently and then let go of her. "I do not think that Hyrule will ever be free of Ganondorf nor of evils. It is just how life will go. Perhaps there will be better days, and maybe I will never encounter villains until I die. Who can tell? All I know, Annabella, is that you belong at your home."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Annabella was leaving.

Only Link, Malon, and Princess Zelda cared. They congregated in Hyrule Field near Roan's empty cottage. Malon came about half an hour after Link and the Princess. The trio that had fought Ganon had gone into Roan's cottage to explore a bit, and because Link wanted to know more about his deceased father.

"Annabella – this had your name on it." Princess Zelda handed Annabella something wrapped up in brown paper and bound with a twine rope. Using a pocket knife found on Roan's table, Annabella undid the rope and opened up the brown paper. The first thing she noticed was a folded up piece of parchment, which she drew from the package and opened up.

_Dear Annabella: If you are reading this, then it means that I have revealed that I am a ghost and now I have disappeared from your realm. Hopefully, you have defeated Ganon._

_I am glad that you came to Link's aid and cleared up the issue with Princess Zelda. You might have been curious as to how I knew that the Princess was nobility of birth and you were still you. Being a ghost, I could slip in and out of sight easily. I found the King of Hyrule and searched his memories. No memories of getting furious at the Queen for having an affair. No memories of getting a replacement daughter. You are you, Annabella, not Princess Zelda. I hope that you are happy being yourself._

_Inside this package is something that you may keep. I rescued it in the same fashion that I retrieved the Master Sword: unable to die again and unable to be seen, I stealthily crept into Kokiri Forest to rescue this. It is the way I paid you back for bringing me my son so that I knew that he was alive and well._

_Let my son know I love him dearly. _

_With regards,_

_Roan_

Annabella reached into the package and felt rounded glass. She withdrew it and gasped with delight.

"He…oh, you got a _faerie_!" exclaimed Link, taking a closer look at the bulb of light in the jar.

"Oh…oh no! I cannot take her away from Kokiri Forest; I cannot take her from her home!" cried Annabella frantically. She gazed at the faerie, who was floating gently and seemed to be facing Annabella. "Um…Link? I know this might be a lot to ask, but would you…would you mind looking after her until I one day return?"

"You plan on returning?" asked Princess Zelda, sounding slightly surprised and pleased.

"Why, yes!" replied Annabella. "In a couple of years, I mean. When we are official adults." Annabella smiled shyly at Link. "I…I wouldn't want to ruin your second try at a childhood."

Link laughed. "You wouldn't be doing that, Annabella! It was a pleasure to meet you."

Now, the quartet stood in the dying sunlight. Annabella held the Ocarina of Time in one hand, nervous about leaving. She gazed at the two blondes and the one redhead standing in front of her. But her eyes remained on the tallest figure.

"Link," she began in a pleading tone, "will you please come back to Earth with me?"

Link was taken aback by this proposal. "I…I truly do not know what to say."

"Say yes!" cried Annabella. "You will be worshiped, Link, by every otaku I know! They would love you! You'd be _famous_!"

"I can't go, Annabella," answered Link, shaking his head.

"Why not?" she asked. She felt like she was going to cry. "Why won't you come to Earth with me? Link – I love you!"

There was a stunned silence, and then Link shook his head once more. "I'm sorry, Annabella, but my love is here. My love is for Hyrule and my friends. When one accomplishes as much as I have – you know all about my adventures! – then you cannot be separated from the land from which you come from. My love is for Hyrule, for adventure. That is the love of a hero."

Annabella cast her blurry eyes upon the Ocarina of Time. "I…I'm sorry," she blustered. "I'm so sorry! I never meant any of this to happen!"

"Annabella, no! I'm _glad _to have met you! I just can't leave Hyrule, just like you could never be permanently separated from your home…could you?" asked Link.

"No," whispered the girl, "I couldn't. I'm sorry. I'll…I'll go now."

There was another silence, then Malon interrupted it. "You may keep my clothes, Annabella. It is only two outfits which you borrowed. Keep them…so that when you come back, you may fit in." She smiled.

Princess Zelda nodded. "Yes! Come back when we are true adults."

First Malon and Annabella, and the Princess Zelda and Annabella embraced. Annabella whispered "goodbye" to Link, and then put the ocarina to her lips.

"We will be waiting for you, Annabella," called the Princess as a whirlwind picked Annabella up for the last time for a very long while.

OoO

Annabella woke up. She was in her bed, her Earth bed. She was in Hyrule no longer.

Annabella glanced at the clock. It read ten-oh-four am…Saturday morning. Her weekend spent in Hyrule could have been a detailed dream.

"_Was _it a dream?" she whispered to herself, sliding out of bed and making her way to the kitchen to grab a bite of breakfast.

"Hi Annabella," greeted her mother, glancing up from the newspaper. "What's up? Hey…where'd you get those pyjamas from? Looks kinda like a dress."

Annabella gaped at her mother for a moment, perplexed, then let out a gasp of comprehension. She stumbled backwards out of the kitchen and back into her room, throwing open her closet and peering at her reflection.

She let tears of happiness drip down her chin. She _had _gone to Hyrule, she _had _met Link and Princess Zelda and Malon…it wasn't a dream. It was _real_! If it had been a dream, then why was she clothed in the outfit that Malon had given her?

Annabella lay on her bed and wept for a long time. Sometimes it is good to let a teenaged girl cry, instead of having parents and friends always rushing about trying to make everything better. Tears were the natural way for a girl going through adolescence to heal oneself.

Annabella missed Link. She had loved him, but he did not feel anything except friendship back. He did not love her. He had blatantly told her that he'd rather stay in Hyrule.

'And so would I,' thought Annabella sadly.

OoO

Annabella had cried herself to sleep. When she woke up, she had stripped off Malon's outfit and laid it out on her bed. One shirt pocket near the waist had a suspicious lump in it. She snuck her hand into it and felt parchment. She withdrew two sheets of it and read the few words written on one:

_Annabella, it is I, Princess Zelda, writing to you. By now you must be back home. Some day, we might visit you. You never know._

_ I have written to you to let you know that when you reach age twenty-one, you should come visit us. I will be ready for your return – and so will Link._

_ Enclosed are the correct notes to play the melody to transport 'twist Hyrule and your land…your Earth._

_ Link is taking good care of your faerie. Her name is Veeti, and she also waits to meet you. _

_ Visit us when you turn twenty-one. We will be patient and away your arrival._

_ Your friend, always,_

_ Zelda, Princess of Hyrule_

_

* * *

_Well...Annabella's back home. It wasn't a dream. Everything's all hunky-dory. You **DO **know what that means, right? (sigh) Yep. Epilogue is next chapter. As soon as I finish that chapter, I might try reading some of my lovely reviewer's stories. I might write another story, but I don't have a real idea. I might repost a story I have about a girl named Sagitta and a boy named Amao...but I forget the name (cries). The story is still fresh in my mind, however. Actually, I don't know if I even deleted it from here...

Well, if I ever do get back to that story, I hope that you guys will, as ever, faithfully read! I'm going to check out on that story's status and then write the Epilogue...(sobs).


	13. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"You're going away for the weekend? Why?" crackled a male voice over the phone.

"Josh, listen, it's – oh, I just…I heard from some people, some real close friends, and I'm gonna visit 'em," replied the girl on the other line. She sat in front of a sewing machine, fixing up a dress.

"But—but…your birthday's on Thursday. I…I wanted to celebrate it with you."

"No can do. I already told my friends I would visit 'em. I haven't seen them in seven years, Josh!" She sighed. "Look, I'll be back on Monday, so you ceom over then and we'll celebrate, 'kay?"

"Okay." The man sighed heavily. "But…do you truly care about them more than me?"

"I can barely live a day without you, Josh," replied the woman, careful not to sew her finger to the dress. "But they live in some, er, special conditions, and this is the only time I'm allowed to visit. And it's only one visitor at a time."

"Alright, alright. Bye, honey. I guess…if you're leaving Friday, you only have tonight and tomorrow to pack, right?"

"Right. I'm gonna return as soon as possible, 'kay? Bye-bye."

OoO

"Milady! Milady! There is something to see you," shouted a guard as he rushed into the throne room. "I…I assume that they are a peasant, by nature of their dress."

"Send them in," ordered the Queen of the glorious Kingdom of Hyrule. "Also, please find Link. He will be in the Squire's Chambers."

"Yes ma'am!" The guard saluted and marched out of the throne room.

A few moments later, a blonde woman entered the throne room with a nervous smile hovering around her lips. "Z-Zelda? Princess Zelda? Is…is that you?" she murmured.

Queen Zelda leapt to her feet, her features lit up with joy. "Annabella?"

The two women rushed into each other's arms, talking animatedly.

"I'm so glad you came! I was not sure you would remember!"

"Of _course _I remembered! I'd never forget to come! My boyfriend was upset that he couldn't come…however he has no clue that I'm in Hyrule! God, he'd kill himself with delight! How've you been? And, hey – how's Link?"

"I'm doing quite well, thank you! And Link? He's doing wonderfully well! He's training to become a _Knight_! Right now he is a Squire…" Queen Zelda paused and lowered her voice, whispering in Annabella's ear. "He…he is training to become a Knight because he needs money to pay."

"To pay for what?" asked Annabella, intrigued.

"His wedding to Malon!" Queen Zelda analyzed Annabella's face for signs of pain or depression, but Annabella was pure joyfulness. She had obviously gotten over Link and just wanted to be his friend and was happy that he was happy.

"No way! Link and Malon! Oh my God!"

"Annabella?"

The girl turned around to see Link standing into the doorway. He wore brown breeches, a silver tunic, and he had grown out his hair a bit. If he had gone to Earth and dressed in the popular clothing, he would be considered insanely hot.

"Link! Link! Hi! Oh my God! You're gonna get married!" cried Annabella happily, beaming at her friend.

Link nodded shyly, smiling at Annabella. "The wedding is Saturday."

"That's tomorrow!"

"Indeed. I planned it so that you could be present."

Annabella ran over and hugged her friend. No matter what, Hyrule would always be a second home to her.

OoO

A six-year-old girl with fiery hair and dark blue eyes sat on the floor of her small cabin, watching a cuccoo waddling around.

"Daddy, tell me a story," she called to her father, who was preparing dinner.

"Do you want to hear a song instead?" asked her father, glancing down at her.

"If you want," replied the redhead, standing up with her little legs and toddling over to her father.

Her father hummed a gentle song. The girl listened intently, smiling when the song ended.

"I liked it. What's it called?"

"The Melody of Realms. If played on the right instrument, it transports you between two different realms."

"Realms?"

"Different places where people live."

"Oh."

"Our ancestor discovered this song. She was from the other realm. She brought her suitor to Hyrule and they settled down here." The man smiled. "She's my great-great-great grandmother. She was friends with the famous Sir Link, and Queen Zelda, and the woman who ran our ranch during that time."

"What was her name?" asked the little girl, becoming more interested.

"Her name was Annabella. Her husband's name was Josh."

"Funny names," giggled the little girl, covering her mouth with her chubby hands.

"Funny names, indeed, my little girl, but they did wonders for the land. They named that old cabin near Kokiri Forest an ancient preservation. No one is allowed to destroy it."

The man knelt down next to his child and hugged her. "It's a magical cabin. Ones who had unfulfilled lives will stay in that cabin after death until they see those who they loved."

"Will Mommy be in that cabin?" asked the young girl hopefully.

The man shook his head. "No, dear. She had a wonderful life. She had you. She had Lon Lon Ranch."

"But she didn't stay with us long."

"She had a fulfilled life."

"It wasn't her time to go."

The man hugged her again. "Ah, my dear child, no one should die, especially not your mother. At least she will be remember. Do you know that story about the Hero who was sent back in time and no one remembered his accomplishments?"

"Yeah."

"Well, remember this: you are Sagitta, great-great-great-great-granddaughter of that Hero's friend. Trust me, darling…with the song I'll teach you, you can accomplish wonderful things." The man smiled. "And everyone will remember them."


End file.
